“A truly free and independent press is a vital component of any healthy democratic society. […] the prime value of journalism is that it imposes transparency, and thus accountability, on those who wield the greatest governmental and corporate power.” — Glenn Greenwald, Laura Poitras and Jeremy Scahill.
This is the vital role a free and independent press plays in a democracy. For many journalists, whether in the Philippines and elsewhere around the world, this is a sacred function worth fighting for to defend democracy.
This is also at the heart of the petition spearheaded by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) to the country’s House of Representatives and published through change.org for public support.
If watching the news, documentaries, teleseryes, variety shows, drama anthologies and comedies delivered by The Filipino Channel is important to your life here in America, and more importantly — if you are concerned about the impact on Philippine democracy of the Duterte administration’s public threat and declaration to shut down ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation by not renewing the franchise set to expire on March 30, 2020 — then you have to make a stand and let your voices be heard.
“We call on Congress to do what is right and immediately pass the bill to renew ABS-CBN’s franchise. The quo warranto petition the Office of the Solicitor General reportedly plans to file before the Supreme Court for the revocation of the network’s franchise is proof that this government, in a supremely undemocratic act, is out to silence a media outfit because of the animosity of one man, the president of the Republic.
While we are dismayed at Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano’s brazen conflict of interest when he admitted having a personal beef with the network whose franchise the chamber he heads is supposed to deliberate on, we continue to hope that you, the elected representatives of the people, can rise above your leader’s petty vindictiveness and strike a blow in defense of freedom of the press and of expression.
At the very least, if the president is really hell-bent on shutting down ABS-CBN, let him bear full responsibility by passing the bill renewing the network’s franchise and let him veto it if he dares to. Do not be accomplices in the rape of democracy. #NoToABSCBNShutdown,” the petition reads.
As reported by Rappler, the online news organization that has also fallen from grace under the Duterte administration, there are at least nine bills filed with Congress seeking a renewal.
The report further says ABS-CBN’s television broadcast arm would have to cease operations if the renewal is not granted on time. The network, though, may reportedly still be able to operate by distributing its content onto other media platforms, such as online and through the company’s publishing and movie production arms. However, it will be the end of ABS-CBN programming on free TV as we know it.
Duterte calls ABS-CBN and newspaper the Philippine Daily Inquirer “bastos (rude)” for allegedly reporting unfair news about him and writing in favor of the interests of the owners. He says that one day, “karma will come” to them.
He says the Inquirer is “bullsh8t” and that ABS-CBN “published trash.” Duterte calls the Prietos and Lopezes, the respective owners of the companies, “oligarchs and elites.” In response, Inquirer says it has “upheld the highest standards of excellence in journalism” since its founding in 1985.
The timeline as published by Rappler:
March 31, 2017: The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) calls out Duterte for lashing out against the media, saying it was a “brazen abuse of your immense power as chief executive of this land and only shows how little, if any, appreciation you have of democracy and governance.”
April 6, 2017: ABS-CBN Chairman Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III says that the administration’s anger triggered by the reports is “part and parcel” of the work of a media institution. ABS-CBN maintains that the company has observed “fair and balanced” reporting.
April 27, 2017: Duterte accuses ABS-CBN of “swindling,” claiming that the network did not show his political ads during the 2016 campaign although they were already paid for. These comments come just a few days after Duterte renewed the franchise of GMA Network, ABS-CBN’s rival, for another 25 years. Meanwhile, HB 4349 remains at the committee level. Duterte tells Congress, “No need to renew it.”
May 19, 2017: Duterte says he will file charges of “multiple syndicated estafa” against ABS-CBN, in a speech at an event launch of housing designs for the military and police. “Kawalang hiya ninyo, kapal ng mukha ninyo, putang-ina ninyo, leche kayo (You have no shame, your faces are too thick, you sons of b*tches),” he says, addressing ABS-CBN chairman Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III. “Gabby Lopez, I paid ABS-CBN P2.8 million…You accepted my money, you never bothered to show my propaganda (political advertisements). After the elections, you didn’t return the money,” he adds. He says other candidates such as his running mate Alan Peter Cayetano and vice presidential candidate Francis Escudero experienced the same.
August 3, 2018: The president repeats his threat to block ABS-CBN’s franchise in a speech at the inauguration of a drug rehabilitation facility in Bukidnon. He challenges ABS-CBN executives to let him slap them if records show he has less than P40 million in his bank accounts.
June 12, 2019: The Philippine Star reports that the House of Representatives froze HB 4349. A lawmaker, who requested anonymity, says no action on any bill seeking to renew the ABS-CBN franchise would be taken as long as the network still has issues with the president. ABS-CBN later says it is unable to comment on or clarify this report.
July 1, 2019: HB 4349 lapses after 17th Congress adjourns, but its same sponsor Representative Micaela Violago refiles the first bill in the 18th Congress to extend ABS-CBN’s franchise.
October 29, 2019: House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano announces they are set to deliberate on the franchise renewal. At this point, there are at least 5 bills filed that seek to renew ABS-CBN’s franchise.
December 3, 2019: In a speech before new Malacañang officials, Duterte says he is still angry with ABS-CBN, telling the network, “If you expect that (the franchise) will be renewed, I’m sorry. I will see to it that you’re out.” This is the third time Duterte reiterates this threat.
December 4, 2019: Cayetano says they will no longer tackle the franchise renewal bills for the remainder of 2019, saying there will be “more than enough time” for deliberations in 2020. Although Cayetano said earlier he has a “personal complaint” against ABS-CBN for “unjust meddling” in the 2016 elections, he gave assurances there will be “fair” deliberation in the House. House Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante Jr says the majority congressmen “might perhaps toe the line” with Duterte, which would make it “almost next to impossible” to renew the franchise.
December 30, 2019: Duterte tells ABS-CBN it would be better to “just sell” the network, remarking that Congress renewing the franchise is unlikely.
January 2, 2020: House Committee on Legislative Franchises Chair Franz Alvarez promises his committee would deliberate on the franchise renewal bills. He tells ABS-CBN that securing a franchise from Congress is “not a right, but a privilege.”
WHAT IS YOUR STAND? Whether you are for or against the petition to renew the franchise of ABS-CBN, you have to speak up and speak out.
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Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at [email protected], or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos.
